Commune Opens

By Anne Leonard

It was Sunday. And I was hungry.

My two favorite things about Sundays are church and the brunch plans that ensue. While I’m perfectly content with some avocado toast, bacon or some impressive poached eggs I can make at home, this particular Sunday was extra special. After nearly a week of being open, the husband and I headed to Commune, a new eatery in Virginia Beach's ViBe Creative District located at the Oceanfront. Last month, the bread oven was just being installed, and a month later, breakfast items were slingin’ left and right from their kitchen window.

Around 11 a.m., Commune was in the middle of a joyous brunch symphony: forks were clinking, lattes were steaming, golden croissants were in sight and a line of hungry folks—myself included—trickled out the door.

We grabbed a menu and parked at a couple of their emerald green stools by the window. Every time I’d decided on my order, I’d look over to see a poised set of fried eggs atop some fresh greens or glistening Pleasure House Oysters served with a juicy mignonette hypnotizing me away from my decisions.

As I made my way to the counter, I practically had to order with my eyes closed, careful to not be wooed by another item crossing my path. I fought the enticing smells and ordered one lavender latte, one burnt honey latte, Pungo Creek Grits and a Roast Pork Shoulder sandwich. Oh! And a sourdough croissant...with melon jam, please.

Moments later our lattes arrived. Lavender seeds were sprinkled across the fluffy foam; the latte was not too sweet and was nudged by the seeds’ floral goodness. His burnt honey latte reminded me of caramelized sugar. The sourdough croissant was delivered soon after.

You know the chewy, tart tinge that you love about sourdough? Well combine that with the flaky, buttery nature you love about croissants, and you have one of their sourdough croissants. Slather on the melon jam with its spicy hints, and you, my friend, have the perfect bite.

Now, let’s talk grits. Imagine a spoonful where you can get just about every food group in one bite. My Pungo Creek Grits ($12) had the most creamy, Indian cornmeal grits laid in the bottom of the shallow bowl. Roasted, charred peppers, succulent hickory glazed pulled pork and the sunniest fried egg rested on top with a dash of bright, leafy greens. Each item was lightly seasoned, careful to allow each ingredient to speak for themselves. Smoked peanuts are typically included, but this gal’s got to surrender to her peanut allergy!

The husband’s Roast Pork Shoulder sandwich ($11) looked like it was about to burst. Layered between two thick sourdough slices were hunks of slow roasted pork shoulder, pickled green tomatoes and a nice helping of their smoky pimento cheese.

As we fought over the final layers of the sourdough croissant and took our last foamy sips, we left Commune in a dazed brunch bliss.

Commune is located at 501 Virginia Beach Boulevard. They’re open Tuesday—Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit their Facebook page or website for more information.